Number Lock?

[Bob Johnson]

Need a way to lock number pad. Trying to enter data in a documents to go spreadsheet.
Tia

[Beverly Howard]

>> Trying to enter data in a documents to go spreadsheet. <<

Since it is so easy to swap keyboards using the pulldown when any
keyboard is visible, the easiest way to meet this need might be to
simply install a numberpad keyboard in additon to hackers keyboard.


A related question is if there is any way to "break" restricted
keyboards that apps pull up... for example, when editing a telephone
number in contacts, the contacts app calls a keyboard that prevents
entering any keystroke other than phone keypad entries and standard
phone only characters such as "pause"

I need the ability to enter single character codes in most phone number
fields.

Beverly Howard

[Tplanter]

Despite there being a numlock key on Hackers Keyboard (press Fn to see), it doesn't work.

I asked about a numberpad on the layout some months ago and was advised to look for a spreadsheet that provided its own numberpad. The one (the ONLY one) suggested was Kingsoft Office. I now use this successfully. It is much easier to enter data with this program than any of the other spreadsheets I have tried, including Polaris Office. None of the others call up their own numberpad.

But why they should have to call up their own number pad, and the numberoad function not be built into the various keyboard options I have never had satisfactorily explained to me.

Mike

[Beverly Howard]

>> Despite there being a numlock key on Hackers Keyboard (press Fn to see), it doesn't work. <<

Could you expand on "it doesn't work?"

I did some tinkering with it, and the only problem that I had were the
small key sizes since so much else is crammed into that layout.

Beverly Howard

[Tplanter]

Bev

By "it doesn't work", I mean that, having pressed the numlock key, I expect the number keypad to stay displayed when I hit enter. If I am entering data into a spreadsheet, it doesn't stay displayed when I hit enter. So from my point of view the numlock key appears to be of no effect. I've tried this in 2 different spreadsheet programs with the same result.

Does this key have a function? Is it only for use with non-spreadsheet applications?

I don't understand how it seems that spreadsheets seem to override keyboard layouts. Is there no way to prevent this?

Mike

[Beverly Howard]

On 3/27/2013 4:41 PM, Tplanter wrote:
> I mean that, having pressed the numlock key, I expect
> the number keypad to stay displayed when I hit enter.

Interesting...

Since I don't use spreadsheets that much, I had been experimenting using
notepad apps, and that behavior doesn't occur. In other words, you can
enter a column of numbers separated with <cr>'s and the number pad stays up.

I'm guessing that what's likely happening is that the app is reporting
to the android os what type of input it is expecting... for example,
"the number field has terminated, go back to alpha"

After looking around a bit, I found TouchPal
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cootek.smartinputv5

It's not perfect, but it seems to verify my suspicions about the switch...

...put it in pure number pad and enter a number in a cell, press enter,
and it reverts to a "T" input phone numberpad, but it's at least only a
tap to get back to the pure numberpad

I's suggest taking a look at TouchPal... I don't know it at all, but
when in a spreadsheet, it offers spreadsheet options, so, there might be
a way buried in it to make multiple cell entries easy. It has a lot of
nice tricks that I have stumbled over so far.

Beverly Howard

[Tplanter]

Bob
The only way I know for you to enter data into a spreadsheet and not have the irritating drop back to alpha keyboard is to NOT use Docstogo, but use Kingsoft Office (free version).

Regards
Mike

[Tplanter]

Bev
This "drop back to alpha " behaviour is not restricted to Android. I used to use a HTC HD2 on Windows Mobile 6.5, and it exhibited exactly the same behaviour in MS Excel mobile. HTC, when told about, were most surprised. But not interested enough to do anything about it.

I downloaded fingerkeyboard2. This keyboard behaved as I wanted. Only wish it was available for Android.

Mike

[Klaus Weidner]

On Wed, Mar 27, 2013 at 2:41 PM, Tplanter <mikepgm...@gmail.com> wrote:

By "it doesn't work", I mean that, having pressed the numlock key, I expect the number keypad to stay displayed when I hit enter. If I am entering data into a spreadsheet, it doesn't stay displayed when I hit enter. So from my point of view the numlock key appears to be of no effect. I've tried this in 2 different spreadsheet programs with the same result.

Does this key have a function? Is it only for use with non-spreadsheet applications?

The key gets reported as a key event to the application, it's mainly intended for PC-style applications such as VNC clients that may tie actions to NumLock.

It doesn't currently act as a numeric mode lock by itself. As Beverly had said, the application provides a hint about its preferred input format, and if a spreadsheet cell can contain arbitrary text or data it'll default to normal text mode.

I'm unsure if a num lock feature would be the most useful way to implement it - the lock state isn't supposed to persist between independent inputs. Alternatively, I'm thinking about making it possible to select keyboard modes similar to the current language switcher, so that you could (persistently) set your keyboard to a numeric one, and then slide the space bar or use a key/gesture to switch if needed.

-Klaus

[Beverly Howard]

>> I'm unsure if a num lock feature would be the most useful way to
implement it <<

I agree...

Installing and using the Hacker's Keyboard has been invaluable, but it
has also helped me learn to develop my own input methods to be as
efficient as possible on both android phone and tablets.

Hacker's Keyboard is like a mechanics "roll around" tool chest... it
contains everything you might need in the shop, but it's too large to
pack in the motorcycle for a trip. It's the "go to" keyboard anytime
you have special needs.

Using it introduced me to the ease of swapping between all available
keyboards using the pulldown shade and I now have a half dozen keyboards
to meet specialized needs.


However, the one thing I keep running up against is where apps and
situations "force" the use of specific keyboards... for example, url and
login fields where you are refused access to entries in your personal
dictionary or "contacts" assumption that you will never enter alpha
characters in a telephone number field.

What would be nice would be an easy way to toggle a "lock" that would
"hold" the current keyboard in place no matter what the app or os
assumes would be best for the "user who doesn't know enough to choose" ;-)

Perhaps a good job for that mysterious "white dot" key

Thanks (danke?) for your responses, information, and, especially for an
invaluable tool that has probably already saved several man centuries of
time world wide.

Beverly Howard

[Tplanter]

Not being a programmer, I don't understand why having a key with a name like NumLock isn't expected to do just that - lock the number pad in place as a number pad.

But whatever way suits you Klaus, I'll eagerly look forward to ANY method that gives me a numeric keypad that I can use easily and efficiently. Kingsoft Office is good, but I still have to swap back to the standard keyboard to enter the standard arithmetic functions, ( / +- * and =)

My ideal number keypad would be the number layout you have but without the function keys. This would give room for larger number and /*-+ etc keys, and perhaps add =, ( and ) keys too!

Mike